Child Wants To Party

Your Food Allergic Child Wants To Party

Okay, your child has a food allergy.

To you this is a major part of your life...careful reading of ingredients, maintaining your own mental list of all those goodies your child can't have, ensuring that suspect items don't even enter your home.

Then they get a birthday party invitation...

The very idea of sending a your child off to a party where kids will be consuming items that could set off a reaction in your child is terrifying!

But attending birthday parties is a part of childhood that shouldn't be missed out on...just think back on your own!

With a bit of thought and planning much of the danger (and worry) can be eliminated.

Contact the host of the party at the first opportunity, before plans have been finalised to talk over the problems. Remember, the parent of a child with no allergies will give no thought to possible problems unless their attention is drawn to them.

Offer to help with the shopping or at the very least supply a list of suitable items. After all, it's easier to choose snacks and treats without trigger ingredients than to persuade your child not to eat something that everyone else is telling them is delicious...

Don't neglect the birthday cake!

This is a very personal thing between the host and their child and much thought may have gone into its selection and you will find it very hard to order your child not to sample the cake - it's an essential part of any birthday!

Here, again, contacting the host early is important as many bakeries (like Londoncakes.com) will offer a gluten/wheatfree or eggless option on their cakes - and in most cases the other children won't even notice....

Let the party parent know what to look out for in case a trigger food is inadvertently eaten and the action to be taken. Supply any necessary drugs or an EpiPen and show them how to use it. Make sure there's a phone number to get hold of you. Make sure you're at the number!

You may be tempted to offer to help out at the party and so keep an eye on all that your child eats and drinks. Don't. They have to go it alone sometime and if they're old enough to be invited to a party of their peers without you, now may well be that time.

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